A widower has filed a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Lines alleging a crew
member gave his wife an enema for her critical bowel obstruction instead of finding and notifying the ships medical staff.

According to the federally filed lawsuit, John Showers and his wife Victoria boarded the Carnival Dream for a Caribbean cruise. The next day, Victoria became constipated, and purchased over-the- counter laxatives in Cozumel. The following morning, Victoria was unable to walk and was in severe pain. When John and Victoria went to the medical clinic onboard, an unidentified crew member was filling in for the RN on duty. The crew member gave Victoria more enema's and told the Showers' to return to the clinic at 3:30 when the doctor would be in.

The lawsuit says that the doctor performed an examination, determined Victoria had a bowel obstruction and that she must immediately be taken ashore for emergency treatment. The lawsuit says that "The doctor represented that the hospital in Belize was 'a good hospital to which they sent sick crew members for medical care when sickbay couldn't handle the problem.' "Contrary to the doctor's representations, and as later confirmed by the United States State Department, and known to Carnival and Bulajic, the availability of advanced medical treatment in Belize is limited, even in Belize City.”

The lawsuit says that on November 4, 2010 Victoria had to be air flighted to Miami, where physicians determined “peritoneal contamination of her abdomen gave Victoria virtually no chance of survival.” Victoria underwent numerous surgical procedures and treatments, however, she died December 22, 2010.

The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages from Carnival Cruise Lines for negligence and wrongful death, and from the unidentified crew member and on duty doctor and nurse for medical negligence.

This isn't good. If she was treated by a non-medical crew member and not a doctor or nurse then Carnival is in big trouble.

It will be interesting to hear both sides of the story.

My heart goes out to the woman and her family. I spent 17 days in the hospital with peritoneal contamination and gut surgery. I only remember about six of those days. It is extremely painful and not a good way to go.

Take care,
Mike

__________________Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator

"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me

The reports I saw of this did not say anything about the person being treated by a non medical crew member; stating it was a ship's nurse. That would be ABSURD if true.

In the afternoon the ill passenger did see a Dr. and a lot would depend on how they presented at the time.

On the other hand everyone has to know that ship's medical centers are not equipped to handle truly serious medical situations. They don't have the equipment available to even do thourough testing.

If they had discovered the real problem earlier, considering their location, I'm not sure what their other options would have been. They are reliant on their geography, as to their options for emergencies.

Having just been disembarked off a ship due to my husband's illness, I can tell you first hand how scary it is to be in another part of the world, and need medical help, other then the basics. On the ship, they stopped and started his heart.....how scary is that ??

Geography, and, timing is everything. The day before we left the ship, we ported in St.Maarten, and 2 days later we would have been in Nassau, so French/Dutch & English ports. Since we got off in St Thomas, everything was easier for us. No language issues, medicare accepted, etc.

One of my neighbors was on a cruise with her husband in January . Her husband had a heart attack and the closest island was Belize . Apparently the doctors at the hospital wanted $800 in cash which my neighbor did not have .Her husband was eventually air lifted to Belize but only after numerous calls to family members were made to guarantee a monetary payment .

One of my neighbors was on a cruise with her husband in January . Her husband had a heart attack and the closest island was Belize . Apparently the doctors at the hospital wanted $800 in cash which my neighbor did not have .Her husband was eventually air lifted to Belize but only after numerous calls to family members were made to guarantee a monetary payment .

Shows why you need travel insurance. Almost all Travel Insurance companies will make a monetary advance.

BTW: Belize is not an island.

Take care,
Mike

__________________Cruisemates Community Leader/Moderator

"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me